Rigid package for tobaco articles

ABSTRACT

A rigid package for tobacco articles having a first container for housing the tobacco articles and housed inside a second container so as to slide with respect to the second container between a closed position and an open position; each container is substantially parallelepiped shaped, and has two end walls, and a lateral surface bounded by the end walls, and by at least one minor lateral wall; the major lateral walls of both the containers are curved walls having the same concavity and the same radius of curvature, which is constant along the whole extension of each major lateral wall (FIG.  2 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a rigid, slide-open package for tobacco articles.

The present invention may be used to particular advantage in a rigid cigarette packet, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND ART

Rigid, slide-open cigarette packets are known, of the type described in Patent Application FR-2499947-A3, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,463-A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,227-A1. A rigid, slide-open cigarette packet comprises a first container, which houses a group of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil, and is in turn housed inside a second container so as to slide, with respect to the second container, between a closed position, in which the first container is fully inserted inside the second container, and an open position, in which part of the first container is extracted from the second container. Each container is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises two end walls, and a lateral surface bounded by the end walls and defined by lateral walls separated from one another by corresponding straight longitudinal edges.

Though marketed, by being relatively cheap to produce and generally popular with smokers, rigid, slide-open cigarette packets of the type described above have several drawbacks, on account of their non-anatomical shape, and their failure to safely protect the cigarettes inside. That is, when the packet is inside the user's' pocket, the inner container has a tendency to slide open, thus resulting in the cigarettes falling out of the packet.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid packet for tobacco articles, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which, in particular, is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid package for tobacco articles; the package comprising a first container for housing the tobacco articles, and a second container for housing the first container in sliding manner, so as to enable the first container to slide, with respect to the second container, between a closed position, in which the first container is fully inserted inside the second container, and an open position, in which part of the first container is extracted from the second container; each container being substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprising two, respectively bottom and top, end walls, and a lateral surface bounded by the end walls and defined by substantially parallel, opposite major lateral walls, and by at least one minor lateral wall separated from the major lateral walls by corresponding longitudinal edges; the package being characterized in that the major lateral walls of both the containers are curved walls having the same concavity and the same radius of curvature, which is constant along the whole extension of each major lateral wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of a rigid cigarette packet in accordance with the present invention and in a closed configuration;

FIG. 2 shows a front view in perspective of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 1 in an open configuration;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a front view in perspective of a different embodiment of a rigid cigarette packet in accordance with the present invention and in a closed configuration;

FIG. 6 shows a front view in perspective of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 5 in an open configuration;

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the rigid cigarette packet in FIG. 6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates as a whole a rigid cigarette packet comprising a container 2 for housing a group 3 of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet of foil; and a container 4 for housing container 2 in sliding manner, so as to enable container 2 to slide, with respect to container 4, between a closed position (FIG. 1), in which container 2 is fully inserted inside container 4, and an open position (FIG. 2), in which part of container 2 is extracted from container 4.

Container 4 is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall 5; a top end wall 6; a lateral surface 7 bounded by end walls 5 and 6 and defined by two substantially parallel, opposite major lateral walls 8, and by a minor lateral wall 9 separated from major lateral walls 8 by two longitudinal edges 10; and an open end 11 parallel to and opposite minor lateral wall 9, and for enabling passage of container 2 between said closed position (FIG. 1) and said open position (FIG. 2). Lateral walls 8 and 9 of container 4 are separated from end walls 5 and 6 by transverse edges 12, which are divided into major transverse edges 12, located between major lateral walls 8 and end walls 5 and 6, and minor transverse edges 12.

Major lateral walls 8 of container 4 are curved walls having the same concavity and the same radius of curvature R, which is constant along the whole extension of each major lateral wall 8, so that the two major lateral walls 8 are therefore equidistant and substantially parallel along their whole extension. All the other walls, i.e. end walls 5 and 6 and minor lateral wall 9, are flat walls.

Container 2 is substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprises a bottom end wall 13; a top end wall 14; and a lateral surface 15 bounded by end walls 13 and 14 and defined by two substantially parallel, opposite major lateral walls 16, and by two parallel, opposite minor lateral walls 17 separated from major lateral walls 16 by four longitudinal edges 18. Lateral walls 16 and 17 of container 2 are separated from end walls 13 and 14 by eight transverse edges 19, which are divided into four major transverse edges 19 located between major lateral walls 16 and end walls 13 and 14, and four minor transverse edges 19 located between minor lateral walls 17 and end walls 13 and 14.

Major lateral walls 16 of container 2 are curved walls having the same concavity and the same radius of curvature R, which is constant along the whole extension of each major lateral wall 16 and identical with the radius of curvature R of major lateral walls 8, so that the two major lateral walls 16 are therefore equidistant and substantially parallel along their whole extension. All the other walls, i.e. end walls 13 and 14 and minor lateral walls 17, are flat walls.

Top end wall 14 of container 2 comprises an open portion 20, which also extends over part of major lateral walls 16, and which permits withdrawal of the cigarettes from container 2 when container 2 is in said open position (FIG. 2).

The four longitudinal edges 18 of container 2 and the two longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 are rounded, non-square edges, while the transverse edges 12 and 19 of containers 2 and 4 are all square. In a different embodiment not shown, one or more longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 and/or one or more longitudinal edges 18 of container 2 may be square. In particular, the longitudinal edges 10 of container 4 and the longitudinal edges 18 of container 2 may all be square. In a further embodiment not shown, some transverse edges 12 of container 4 and/or some transverse edges 19 of container 2 may be rounded, non-square edges, so that both transverse edges 12 and/or 19 and longitudinal edges 10 and/or 18 are rounded, non-square edges.

Obviously, when container 2 is in said closed position (FIG. 1), each lateral wall 8 and 9 of container 4 is aligned with and faces a corresponding lateral wall 16 and 17 of container 2. More specifically, both containers 2 and 4 are so sized as to respectively house group 3 of cigarettes and container 2 with a small amount of clearance, so as to minimize the amount of material required to produce containers 2 and 4, while at the same time minimizing movement of group 3 of cigarettes inside container 2, and of container 2 inside container 4. Obviously, some clearance must be allowed between group 3 of cigarettes and container 2 to enable the user to withdraw the cigarettes easily from container 2; and, likewise, some clearance must be allowed between container 2 and container 4 to enable the user to withdraw container 2 easily from container 4.

The transverse dimension (i.e. parallel to major transverse edges 12) of major lateral walls 8 of container 4 is smaller than the corresponding transverse dimension (i.e. parallel to major transverse edges 19) of major lateral walls 16 of container 2, so that container 4 does not cover the two longitudinal edges 18 of container 2 facing open end 11 of container 4 when container 2 is in said closed position (FIGS. 1 and 5).

Minor lateral wall 9 of container 4 comprises a hole 21 (FIGS. 1 and 5) shaped and sized to permit insertion of the user's finger, and the purpose of which is to assist expulsion of container 2 from container 4 by enabling the user to exert pressure on the minor lateral wall 17 of container 2 facing hole 21 when container 2 is in said closed position (FIG. 1).

In packet 1 in FIGS. 1-4, minor lateral walls 17 of container 2 are parallel, so that the width of container 2, i.e. the distance between the two minor lateral walls 17, is constant, and major lateral walls 16 of container 2 are the same size. In packet 1 in FIGS. 5-8, minor lateral walls 17 of container 2 converge, so that the width of container 2, i.e. the distance between the two minor lateral walls 17, varies, and major lateral walls 16 of container 2 are not the same size. More specifically, minor lateral walls 17 of container 2 converge towards a point located at a distance from the centre of gravity of container 2 ranging between 80% and 120% of the radius of curvature R of major lateral walls 8 and 16. Packet 1 in FIGS. 5-8 is particularly suitable for housing a group 3 of cigarettes defined by 20 cigarettes (not shown individually) arranged in three layers of 7, 7 and 6 cigarettes each. Obviously, the 6-cigarette layer is located contacting the smaller major lateral wall 16 of container 2.

In another variation not shown, minor lateral walls 17 of container 2 diverge.

In an embodiment not shown, each major lateral wall 8 of container 4 comprises a recess close to open end 11, the main purpose of which recesses is to assist extraction of container 2 from container 4, as of the closed position, by enabling the user to grip and exert pull on major lateral walls 16 of container 2.

In an embodiment not shown, packet 1 comprises stop means for limiting slide of container 2 with respect to container 4, and so preventing detachment of container 2 of from container 4. Which stop means are normally defined by two first tongues projecting from major lateral walls 16 of container 2, and two second tongues projecting from major lateral walls 8 of container 4. Each first tongue projects outwards of container 2 from a respective major lateral wall 16 of container 2; each second tongue projects inwards of container 4 from a respective major lateral wall 8 of container 4; and each first tongue is so located as to engage the corresponding second tongue as container 2 slides out of container 4, thus preventing detachment of container 2 from container 4.

By way of example, the rigid cigarette packet 1 in the accompanying drawings may be 8 to 10 cm high, 4.5 to 6 cm wide, and 2 to 3 cm deep, with a radius of curvature R of 12 to 20 cm.

Tests have shown that, by virtue of the anatomical shape imparted by the curvature of major lateral walls 8 and 16, cigarette packets 1 as described above are both easy to handle by the user and fit comfortably inside the user's pocket. Also by virtue of the curvature of major lateral walls 8 and 16, packet 1 opens, i.e. the relative movement between inner container 2 and outer container 4 takes place, not along a straight line, but along a curved line of a radius equal to the radius of curvature R of major lateral walls 8 and 16. Which condition creates no discomfort to the user, and prevents accidental opening of the packet, particularly inside the user's pocket.

In view of the numerous advantages of cigarette packets 1 as described above, the form of packets 1 may also be applied integrally to the production of other types of rigid containers for tobacco articles, such as cartons for packets of cigarettes or cigar packets. 

1. A rigid package for tobacco articles (3); the package (1) comprising a first container (2) for housing the tobacco articles (3), and a second container (4) for housing the first container (2) in sliding manner, so as to enable the first container (2) to slide, with respect to the second container (4), between a closed position, in which the first container (2) is fully inserted inside the second container (4), and an open position, in which part of the first container (2) is extracted from the second container (4); each container (2; 4) being substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and comprising two, respectively bottom and top, end walls (5, 6; 13, 14), and a lateral surface (7; 15) bounded by the end walls (5, 6; 13, 14) and defined by substantially parallel, opposite major lateral walls (8; 16), and by at least one minor lateral wall (9; 17) separated from the major lateral walls (8; 16) by corresponding longitudinal edges (10; 18); the package (1) being characterized in that the major lateral walls (8, 16) of both the containers (2, 4) are curved walls having the same concavity and the same radius of curvature (R), which is constant along the whole extension of each major lateral wall (8; 16).
 2. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the longitudinal edges (10, 18) of both containers (2, 4) are rounded, non-square edges.
 3. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the minor lateral walls (9, 17) and the end walls (5, 6, 13, 14) of both containers (2, 4) are flat walls.
 4. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the lateral surface (7) of the second container (4) comprises two parallel, opposite major lateral walls (8), a minor lateral wall (9) separated from the major lateral walls (8) by two longitudinal edges (10), and an open end (11) which is parallel to and opposite the minor lateral wall (9) and permits passage of the first container (2); the lateral surface (15) of the first container (2) comprising two parallel, opposite major lateral walls (16), and two parallel, opposite minor lateral walls (17) separated from the major lateral walls (16) by four longitudinal edges (18); the top end wall (14) of the first container (2) comprising an open portion (20) permitting withdrawal of the tobacco articles (3) from the first container (2) when the first container (2) is in the open position; and, when the first container (2) is in the closed position, each lateral wall (8, 9) of the second container (4) being aligned with and facing a corresponding lateral wall (16, 17) of the first container (2).
 5. The package as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that the minor lateral wall (9) of the second container (4) comprises at least one through hole (21) sized to permit insertion of a user's finger.
 6. The package as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that each major lateral wall (8) of the second container (4) comprises a recess close to the open end (11).
 7. The package as claimed in claim 4 characterized by comprising stop means for limiting slide of the first container (2) with respect to the second container (4) and so preventing detachment of the first container (2) from the second container (4).
 8. The package as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that the stop means comprise at least one first tongue projecting outwards of the first container (2) from a respective major lateral wall (16) of the first container (2), and a second tongue projecting inwards of the second container (4) from a respective major lateral wall (8) of the second container (4) and located close to the open end (11) of the second container (4); the first and second tongue being so located that the first tongue engages the second tongue as the first container (2) slides out of the second container (4).
 9. The package as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that the transverse dimension of the major lateral walls (8) of the second container (4) is smaller than the corresponding transverse dimension of the major lateral walls (16) of the first container (2), so that the second container (4) does not cover the two longitudinal edges (18) of the first container (2) facing the open end (11) of the second container (4) when the first container (2) is in said closed position.
 10. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the minor lateral walls (17) of the first container (2) are parallel.
 11. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the minor lateral walls (17) of the first container (2) converge.
 12. The package as claimed in claim 11 characterized in that the minor lateral walls (17) of the first container (2) converge towards a point located at a distance from the center of gravity of the first container (2) ranging between 80% and 120% of the radius of curvature (R) of the major lateral walls (8, 16).
 13. The package as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the minor lateral walls (17) of the first container (2) diverge. 